IVER C. FRANZEN  - Naval Architect, Marine Consultant & Investigator, Licensed Master


New and Upcoming AAWPP Stability Issues     


Dear Owners & Operators -

As you probably know by now, your certified vessels' stability needs to be recalculated to comply with the new Assumed Average Weight per Person (AAWPP) of 185 lbs.  You may operate under your present Stability Letter and COI until December 1, 2011, after which you'll need to provide proof of compliance with this new AAWPP.  You may, of course, provide this proof well beforehand (recommended, especially if you're going to need a USCG test witness, or MSC calculation review), but you may still operate under your present Stability Letter until December 1.

The simplest way to show compliance is to reduce your personnel count such that your total weight capacity remains the same as before.  Take your present max person count, multiply it by 140 lbs or 160 lbs, whichever applies to you, and divide by 185 lbs. to get your new max personnel count.

Or, just weigh everyone as they come aboard until you reach your max allowable weight.

Assuming you’d rather not lower your pax count, or deal with the ramifications of publicly weighing everyone, your basic options then are either . . .

A)  Have new stability calculations done based on your previous Incline Test.  From this the USCG will issue a new Stability Letter, or a Stability Letter Addendum.  Or . . .

B)  If your COI was based on a Simplified Stability Test (SST) done, you can have a new SST done.

IverMarine, Inc. has been approached by a number of vessels asking for our help with this process, so we've decided to offer a program of assistance to all of the Chesapeake (and beyond) fleet of certified passenger vessels.  Since this will involve a large number of either calculation packages or SSTs, economy of scale will allow us then to offer these services at significantly reduced costs to you over the course of the next year or so until the dust has settled.

Since different vessels will have different requirements, we will therefore provide a la carte pricing for the following:

1  -  Simplified Stability Test (SST)
2  -  Intact stability calcs based on previous Incline Test, power
3  -      "         "         "       "      "        "          "        "  , sail
4  -  Damage stability calcs based on previous Incline Test
5  -  Deadweight Survey (DWS)
6  -  New Incline Test and calculation package, Intact, power
7  -    "        "        "    "          "              "           "    , sail
8  -  New Incline Test and calculation package, Intact and Damage, power
9  -    "        "        "    "          "              "           "      "        "       , sail
(#s 2-9 assume a computer hull model, preferably GHS, has been provided to us, or previously generated by us.)
10  -  Generation of new computer hull model based on lines drawing provided by the vessel
11  -  Measurement of the vessel's hull to "take the lines off."

Clarification of the menu items:

1       -  If you did an SST for your current COI, simply do a new one.  A USCG witness is required.
2&3  -  We take the results of your previous Incline Test, and recalculate using the new 185lbAAWPP (assuming you want to try to keep your existing pax counts).
4       -  Same as 2&3, these are additional calcs for larger subdivided vessels.
5       -  The USCG may require a DWS if they think your lightship displacement has changed appreciably since the previous Incline Test.  A USCG witness is required.
6&7  -  For new certified vessels, for those after a major renovation, and existing non-certified boats wishing to become certified.  Assumes an SST does not apply.  A USCG witness is required for the actual Incline Test.
8&9  -  Same as 6&7, for larger subdivided vessels.
10     -  As indicated above, 2-9 will need a computer hull model to proceed.  If you have a lines drawing and a table of offsets in hand, we can construct the model from these.
11     -  If no lines drawing exists, then we have to measure the vessel.

Upon request, we’ll be happy to send you our rate sheet for the tests and calculations described above.  In short, though, all items are being discounted between 5% and 25%, and the more common items, such as SSTs and the calcs based on previous Inclines will be discounted as much as 35%.  And our rates have historically been quite competitive even before these discounts.

Don’t hesitate to call or email with any questions.  We know this is a major nuisance for both the vessel owners/operators and the USCG, albeit a necessary one.  If we can help in this or any other way, please let us know.

Best regards,

Iver

Capt. Iver C. Franzen, NA
409 Washington Street
Annapolis, MD  21403
Ph:  (410) 268-2105
Fax:  (410) 267-7809
Email:  iver.franzen@comcast.net